Load handling apparatus



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BYg fwzg-iuwf United States Patent C) 3,336,684 LOAD HANDLING APPARATUSRaymond M. Ulrich, Roanoke, Ill., assignor to Ulrich Manufacturing Co.,Roanoke, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Original application Feb. 19,1962, Ser. No. 174,311, now Patent No. 3,243,905, dated Apr. 5, 1966.Divided and this application Apr. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 539,805

12 Claims. (Cl. 37--117.5)

This application is a division of my copending application, Ser. No.174,311, filed Feb. 19, 1962, now Patent No. 3,243,905, and relates toan improved load handling apparatus comprising a three element bucketadapted for mounting on a tractor or other self-propelled vehicle.

In said application, Ser. No. 174,311 there is disclosed and claimed aload handling apparatus of the two-section type embodying a front loadhandling section and a rear load handling section, and one of theprincipal features of the thus claimed invention resides in theprovision of a unique multiple link mounting mechanism between thesections that results in anew and distinctive type of translatory motionbetween the two sections, comparable to that obtained from a parallel orquadrangular link system.

By virtue of this new and distinctive translatory type or relativemotion between the two sections, the apparatus has a new and improvedmode of operation when it functions as an earth moving or loadingbucket. Still further, this translatory type of relative motion resultsin the apparatus having a totally new effect when it functions as agrappling device for picking up tree trunks, logs, railroad ties, pipe,structural steel members, etc. This improved grappling effect is alsoadvantageous when the apparatus is functioning as a demolition devicefor pulling down or breaking up old houses, barns, sheds, etc.

A feature of the presently claimed invention is that a swinging closuregate, preferably in the form of a removable accessory, is adapted formounting on the front bucket section for converting this front bucketsection into a digging and loading unit which can dig and load materialentirely independently of the rear bucket section. This is made by theaction of the swinging closure gate, which can be caused to swingalternatively into either afront closing position closing the open frontof the front bucket section, or into a rear closing position closing theopen rear of said section, or into an intermediate position betweenthese two closing positions. Because of the multiple link mounting ofthe front bucket section on the rear bucket section, it is possible toproject the front bucket section into a far-reaching outward position,spaced substantially from the rear bucket section. In this farreachingoutward position, the front bucket section can be dipped down intonarrow ditches or moved either upwardly or downwardly along near slopesor far slopes. Heretofore, in such operations, the front bucketsection-operating alone-could not be tipped up to a load carrying anglewithout loss of material either through its open front or its open rear.The provision of the swinging closure gate avoids this difiiculty. Wehave disclosed herein different embodiments of this swinging closuregate, such as a hydraulically operated embodiment, a pull-rope operatedembodiment, and an earth impelled embodiment. We have also disclosed awide range of its potential uses in a further form of the inventionprovided with only one bucket section, to which reference will now bemade.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved embodiment ofthe invention characterized by the use of only one bucket section, i.e.wherein this one bucket section corresponds to the front bucket sectionof the previously described two bucket section embodiments. This onebucket section embodiment is made practical 3 ,336,684 Patented Aug. 22,1967 by reason of its utilizing the above described swinging closuregate therein. In this improved embodiment, the swinging closure gate ismade to function as a reversible closure member, as a bull-dozingmember, as a grading and scraping member, and in other capacities. Inthis embodiment, there is also provided a rear grappling member havinggrappling teeth which cooperate with grappling teeth on the swingingclosure gate and on the front bucket section, in the performance ofdifferent grappling functions.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a bucket assemblywhich is also so constructed and arranged that the entire bucketassembly can be revolved or swiveled around a fore-and-aft trunnion axisextending substantially longitudinally of the tractor. This enables thebucket assembly to be turned or tilted sidewise either to the right orleft, whereby the bucket assembly can be tipped sidewise into ahorizontal plane or any intermediate plane, and whereby the front andrear bucket sections can be actuated through their normal tilting andopening and closing movements during such transition from a verticalplane position into a horizontal plane or intermediate plane position,or after the arrival in such horizontal plane position. This tilting orswiveling about a fore-and-aft axis enables the bucket to perform earthmoving operations on inclined surfaces, along side-long slopes, to reachin under overhanging formations or structures, or to dump or spillmaterial to the side, etc. However, of perhaps greater importance is theextended utility that this feature gives to the grappling function ofthe bucket. That is to say, by swiveling the bucket assembly into asubstantially horizontal plane position, the toothed grappling jaws onthe side meeting edges of the front and rear bucket sections can beclosed directly over vertically extending objects, such as tree trunks,fence posts, telephone poles, etc., as for breaking them loose fromtheir anchored positions. Conversely, such tiltable feature of thebucket enables it to also perform the reverse operation of picking upfence posts, telephone poles or trees to be transplanted, and to swingthem into upright positions for lowering into previously dug holes.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following detailed description of certain preferred embodimentsthereof. In the accompanying drawings illustrating such embodiments:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the basic form of myimproved load handling apparatus mounted upon a crawler tread type oftractor;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the improved apparatus corresponding to aview taken on the plane of the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse rear view of the rear bucket section,corresponding to a section taken on the plane of the line 33 of FIGURE1;

FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the bucket assembly, similar to FIGURE 3, buton a larger scale, showing the bucket prior to the mounting thereof onthe lifting and tilting arms, and illustrating the protective housingsover the bucket rams, and also the mounting of the hydraulic swivelconnections in alignment with the lower mounting pivots between thebucket assembly and the lifting or supporting arms;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the bucket assembly on the scale shown inFIGURE 4, illustrating the bucket assembly in its completely closedposition;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane of the line6-6 of FIGURE 4, showing the pivotal mounting of the rear bucket sectionon the lifting and tilting arms of the tractor;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale,showing the mounting of the rear ends of the guide link and of the poweroperating link on the hinge bracket of the rear bucket section,corresponding to the extended open position of the bucket shown inFIGURE 14;

FIGURE 8 is an extension or continuation of FIG- URE 7, being afragmentary side elevational view showing the mounting of the frontbucket section on the front ends of these links;

FIGURES 9 and 10 are detail transverse sectional views taken on theplanes of the lines 9-9 and 10-10 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a rear view showing the mounting of the rear ends of theguide link and of the power operating link in the associated hingebracket on the rear bucket section, the lower portion of this figurecorresponding to a section taken more or less on the plane of the line1111 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 12 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the plane ofthe line 12-12 of FIGURE 11, showing the mounting of the rear end of theupper guide link in the hinge bracket;

FIGURE 13 is a detail sectional view showing the mounting of one of thehydraulic swivel connections in alignment with the associated lowermounting pins which mount the bucket assembly on the lifting arms;

FIGURES 14, 15 and 16 are fragmentary side elevational views, similar tothe front part of FIGURE 1, showing the bucket in three successiveclosing stages of one type of earth moving operation;

FIGURE 17 is a side elevational view of the load handling apparatus on alarger scale, showing the front and rear sections in the performance ofa grappling operation, and illustrating the arcs of swing of themounting links;

FIGURE 18 is a side elevational view showing the front bucket sectionprovided with a hydraulically operated swinging closure gate;

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary plan view of the righthand edge of FIGURE 18on a larger scale;

FIGURES 20 and 21 are views similar to FIGURE 19, showing modifiedconstructions of the closure gate;

FIGURE 22 is a diagrammatic view showing the swinging closure gate ofFIGURE 18 in its operations of closing the open back and the open frontof the bucket section during trenching or other soil moving operations;

FIGURE 23 is a view similar to FIGURE 18, showing another swingingclosure gate, which is pull-cable tripped and pull-cable operated;

FIGURES 24 and 25 are enlarged sectional views taken on the planes ofthe lines 2424 and 25-25 of FIG- URE 23;

FIGURE 26 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line2626 of FIGURE 25;

FIGURE 27 is a side elevational view showing a swinging vane type ofclosure gate;

FIGURE 28 is a fragmentary front view of such gate;

FIGURE 29 is a fragmentary detail section of one form of stop linkmechanism used on such gate;

FIGURE 30 is a diagrammatic side view showing the improved load handlingapparatus or bucket mounted on a swivel joint permitting angularswiveling thereof;

FIGURE 31 is a rear elevational view of the bucket and this swivel jointmounting;

FIGURE 32 is a rear elevational view of the swivel joint on a largerscale;

FIGURE 33 is a fragmentary sectional view through the swivel joint;

FIGURE 34 is a diagrammatic view showing how the swivel joint enablesthe apparatus to operate vertically in uprooting a tree or in planting atree;

FIGURE 35 is a side elevational view of a modified embodiment of loadhandling apparatus characterized by only one bucket section (i.e. afront bucket section), this embodiment comprising a rear grapplingsection, and the aforesaid front bucket section, together with aswinging gate carried by the front bucket section to function as areversible closure member, as a digging member, as a bull-dozing member,etc.;

FIGURE 36 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line3636 of FIGURE 35;

FIGURES 37 and 38 are plan and rear elevational views taken on theplanes of the lines 37-37 and 3838 of FIGURE 36;

FIGURES 39-42 are side elevational views showing different operatingrelations of the above single bucket section embodiment;

FIGURE 43 is a fragmentary edgewise sectional view taken approximatelyon the plane of line 43-43 of FIG- URE 35;

FIGURE 44 is a detail sectional view taken substantially at right anglesto FIGURE 43, and approximately on the plane of the line 4444 of FIGURE35;

FIGURE 45 is an enlarged schematic view showing the upper and lowercable tripped latches and latching pins that releasably hold theswinging closure gate latched to the rear grappling section;

FIGURE 46 is a detail plan view of one of these cable tripped latches.

For an understanding of the construction and operation of the subjectmatter comprising the presently claimed invention, the basic structureto which the invention is adapted is set forth in the parentapplication, Ser. No. 174,311, as comprising a bucket designated B inits entirety in FIGURE 1 and there shown as mounted on the front end ofa crawler tread type of tractor designated T in its entirety. Thistractor is preferably of the full crawler type having endless crawlertreads 24 traveling Over the usual front and rear sprocket wheels andintervening idler rollers associated with the tread frames 25. Thesetreads and tread frames are spaced outwardly from the main frame or body26 of the tractor to permit the interposition of the bucket lifting armstherebetween. The tractor has any usual or conventional engine powerplant and transmission for driving the propelling treads, this powerplant also including a high-pressure hydraulic supply system forsupplying hydraulic liquids under high pressure to the operating andcontrol cylinders or rams of the bucket and of the tractor. Theoperators seat 28, together wtih the control handles for operating thetractor and bucket, are usually located where the operator can have aclear view of the bucket operations without being in a dangerousposition with respect to loads raised to high or overhead positions bythe bucket. While it is decidedly preferable to mount the bucket on afull crawler tread type of tractor, as shown, nevertheless, it will beunderstood that the invention can also be utilized to advantage with abucket mounted on wheeled tractors and on other types of self-propelledpower vehicles.

The bucket B is supported at the front end of the tractor T by right andleft support arms 30 and by right and left sets of tilting linkage 32,these being disposed on opposite sides of the tractor in the verticalplanes of the spaces lying between the tread frames 25 and the tractorbody 26. Each of the right and left lifting and lowering arms 30 hasfulcrum mounting at its rear end on a transverse pivot pin 34 havingfixed axis support on the tractor body or frame 26. Forwardly of thefixed axis fulcrum mounting 34, these two lifting arms 30 are crossconnected by a transverse tubular brace bar 35, which compelssubstantially simultaneous movement of the two lifting arms. Projectingfrom the underside of each support arm 30 approximately below thefulcrum axis 34 is a clevis-type of pivot log 36 carrying a transversepivot pin 38 to which the forward end of a piston rod 40 is pivotallyconnected. This piston rod extends from a two-way hydraulic ram cylinder42 which is pivotally mounted at its rear end on a pivot pin 44extending transversely through a mounting bracket 46 carried by thetractor frame 26. Hydraulic lines connect to the opposite ends of theram cylinder 42 for enabling the ram cylinder to transmit a two-Waylifting and lowering motion to the lifting and lowering support arm 30.

Referring now to the bucket tilting linkage 32, the same bracket 46which carries the pivot pin 44 of the lifting and lowering ram 42 alsocarries at a higher level another transverse pivot pin 50 to which therear end of a bucket tilting ram cylinder 52 is pivotally mounted. Thisis likewise a two-way cylinder having hydraulic lines connected toopposite ends thereof, and the piston rod 58 extending from the frontend of the cylinder is pivotally connected at 60 to the intermediateportion of an angle-shaped lever 62, the lower end of which has fulcrummounting on a transverse pivot pin 64 carried by the tractor body at apoint slightly below and to the rear of the fulcrum pin 34 of thelifting and lowering arm 30. The opposite or upper end of theangle-shaped lever 62 has pivotal connection through a clevis mountedpin 66 with the rear end of a push-pull link 68 which extends forwardlydirectly above the lifting and lowering arm 30. The front end of thepush-pull link 68 has pivotal connection at 70 with an intermediatepoint of an upwardly extending lever 72 which has its lower endpivotally mounted at 74 on the lifting and lowering arm 30. The upperend of the lever 72 is pivotally connected at 76 With another forwardlyextending push-pull link 78. The lever 72 is made up of laterally spacedcompanion parts welded together at intervals by cross struts, wherebythe lower portion of the lever has clevis-like spaced side armsembracing opposite sides of the lifting and lowering arm 30 forreceiving the pivot pin 74, and whereby the two push-pull links 68 and78 have clevis pivotal mounting at 70 and 76 between the spaced halvesof the lever.

The pair of right and left supporting arms 30, 30 at each side of thetractor T constitute power-operated supporting means operative tosupport the bucket B and to raise and lower it; and the pair of rightand left sets of linkage 32 constitute power-operated tilting mechanismfor tilting the bucket B in its entirety relative to the supporting arms30, 30. Pivot eyes 79 at the ends of the supporting arms 30, 30 mounttransverse pivot pins 80 which establish a lower transverse supportingaxis s on which the back bucket section is tiltably mounted forfore-and-aft swinging movement, which swinging movement is determined bythe push-pull action of the tilting links 78. The ends of these latterlinks 78 also have pivot eyes 81 secured thereto which mount transversepivot pins 82 that establish a tilting axis 13 with the back bucketsection at a point substantially above the lower supporting axis s.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the admission of hydraulicpressure to the rear ends of the bucket lifting cylinders 42 will swingthe right and left supporting arms 30 upwardly to raise the bucket to anelevated position, as for transporting a load in the bucket to a pointof dumping; and it will also be evident that the admission of hydraulicpressure thereafter to the rear ends of the bucket tilting cylinders 52will operate through the tilting linkage 32 to tilt the bucket in aforward clockwise direction about the lower supporting axis s, as forexample to dump the load from the bucket at the point of dumping. Duringthis upward swinging movement of the supporting arms 30, 30 to raise thebucket, the bucket tilting linkage 32 will automatically partake of acertain degree of this upward swinging movement by reason of the pivotalmounting of the intermediate motion-transmitting lever 72 at the pivot74 on the supporting arm 30, and also by reason of the relatively closeproximity of the tilting linkage fulcrum center 64 to the lifting armfulcrum center 34. This insures that in the operation of raising'aloaded bucket to an elevated position, either for transport or fordumping, the bucket will not accidentally be tilted to an angle wherepart or all of its load might be prematurely dumped accidentally, aswill be disclosed in greater detail after the following description ofthe two bucket sections and their multiple link connecting mechanism.

The right and left supporting pins 80, 80, and the right and lefttilting pins 82, 82 have vertically spaced mounting in right and lefthinge brackets 84, 84 (see FIGURES 3 and 4) which have welded attachmentto the curved back surface of the rear bucket section, designated Br.Each hinge bracket 84 is made up of a pair of spaced side plates 85, 85'which are cross-braced by transverse reinforcing braces 86, 86 welded tothe upper and lower portions of the side plates. The supporting arms 30and the tilting arms 78 extend into the clevis-like spaces between theseside plates where they receive the supporting pins and the tilting pins82, which pass through aligned pairs of pivot bosses 87, 87 and 88, 88'welded to the bracket side plates. The outermost side plate of eachbracket 84 is formed with a rearwardly projecting lug 91 located nearthe upper pivot boss 88 which is adapted to function as an abutment stopfor abutting engagement against a corresponding stop bracket 92 weldedto the upper edge of the adjacent supporting arm 30. The engagementbetween the stop surfaces 91 and 92 limits the rearward tilting(counterclockwise) of the bucket around the supporting pins 80,particularly when a loaded bucket is swung upwardly toward or into itsposition of maximum elevation. The front edges of the bracket plates 85,85 are of concave curvature for welding to the convex rear surface ofthe large curved plate 94 which makes up the back wall of the rearbucket section Br. This back wall 94 carries a transverse cutting bit 95across its lower edge.

Also secured to the convexly curved back surface of the rear bucketsection Br, at points located outwardly beyond the hinge brackets 84,84, are multi-purpose bracket structures 97, 97, welded to the lowercorners or lower edge of this back plate, along the right and left sideedges of such plate. These bracket structures 97 perform the multiplefunctions of: (a) mounting the connecting links 100 and 200 extendingbetween the two bucket sections; (b) mounting on the rear bucket sectionthe hydraulic rams 104 which open and close the bucket; and (0) alsomounting on the rear bucket section, along the right and left forwardedges thereof, the toothed grappling jaws 108 which co-operate withrelated grappling jaws 110 extending down along the rearwardly facingedges of the front bucket section Bf.

The details of the right-hand bracket structure 97 are best shown inFIGURES 7 and 11, in which figures the two mounting links 100 and 200are illustrated approximately in the wide open bucket position shown inFIG- URE 14. Each of these bracket structures 97 comprises a pair oflaterally spaced inner and outer plates 112, 114 which are cross-bracedat top and bottom by transverse reinforcing plates or braces 115, 116and 117, and which have their intermediate portions cross braced byplates 118 provided with vertical notches or recesses 119 extending downfrom their upper edges.

The forward edge of the inner bracket plate 112 is formed with a concavecurvature for welding to the convex back surface of the rear bucketplate 94. On the other hand, the outer bracket plate 114 extends inforwardly overlapping relation beyond the end of the bucket plate 94 andhas a substantially straight front edge to which is welded the toothedgrappling jaw 108.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 11, it will be seen that extendingtransversely through the lower portion of each bracket structure 97 is apin W which functions as the fulcrum mounting for the lower poweroperated link 100. This pin W is mounted in spaced bosses 126, 127 whichare welded to the opposing inner surfaces of the bracket plates 112,114. If desired, this fulcrum pin W can be anchored against endwisedisplacement by transverse pinning through the inner boss 126. Also, ifdesired, these two pivot pins W at opposite sides of the bucket mayconsist of the opposite ends of a solid through-shaft Wa which isrotatably mounted in the bearing bosses 126-127 so as to compelsimultaneous operation of the mounting links 100 at the opposite sidesof the bucket (FIGURES 4 and 5).

1. IN LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING ON A SELF-PROPELLEDVEHICLE, SAID LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) ALOAD HANDLING BUCKET COMPRISING FRONT AND REAR BUCKET SECTIONS, (B)POWER OPERATED LIFTING AND LOWERING SUPPORTING ARM MEANS ON WHICH SAIDREAR BUCKET SECTION IS TILTABLY MOUNTED, (C) POWER OPERATED TILTINGMEANS FOR TILTING SAID REAR LOAD HANDLING BUCKET SECTION, (D) MEANSCONNECTING SAID FRONT BUCKET SECTION TO THE REAR BUCKET SECTION FORRELATIVE OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS THEREBETWEEN, (E) POWER MEANS FOREFFECTING SUCH OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS, (F) SAID FRONT BUCKETSECTION HAVING AN OPEN FRONT AND AN OPEN REAR, BOTH PROVIDED WITH SOILCUTTING EDGES FOR CAUSING THE ENTRY OF SOIL INTO SAID OPEN FRONT OR INTOSAID OPEN REAR, AND (G) A CLOSURE GATE INCLUDING A TRANSVERSE CLOSUREWALL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE WIDTH OF THE FRONT BUCKET SECTION ANDHAVING SIDE WALLS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE SIDE WALLS OF THE FRONTBUCKET SECTION SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY THEREOF, SAID CLOSURE WALL BEINGSWINGABLE ABOUT SAID PIVOTAL CONNECTION FOR POSITIONMENT EITHER INTO AFRONT CLOSURE POSITION FOR CLOSING THE OPEN FRONT OF SAID BUCKETSECTION, OR INTO A REAR CLOSURE POSITION FOR CLOSING THE OPEN REAR OFSAID BUCKET SECTION.